Cancer: Confronting Cancer with Humor (cont.)

Event_Moderator How should someone looking for alternative doctors find them?
The Yellow Pages?

Wachs_Speaker

I think there are certain publications that exist nationwide
that deal with health and alternative treatments, and that's one way to go about
it. Another way is word of mouth; another way is to open up the yellow
pages for chiropractors, ayurvedic therapists, and healers, acupuncturists,
etc.

Event_Moderator

What progressive
cancer research is currently being done?

Wachs_Speaker

Uh oh! (laughs) This is that area where I'd be talking as if I
knew something that I don't. There is something I'd like to say. There had been
a question earlier on about how the cancer affected my life. The one thing I
noticed in Humor Heals and private practice is the ability to sit with pain and
death in a way that I wasn't able to before I had to face my own
mortality.

Event_Moderator

Did someone show you how to do that?

Wachs_Speaker

No. I think it's a direct result of having to have faced my
own mortality. This wasn't something that I decided to do, this is a byproduct
... a gift of the terror and horror of facing your mortality. There's a real
relief and ability to be okay, because this is the worst that it's going to be
... I can do this. To connect to that place with another human being is more
precious to me than any of the other lessons that I learned from having
cancer.

Event_Moderator

Did you meditate before you were diagnosed?

Wachs_Speaker

Yeah, I did but not
nearly to the extent that I do now. If someone told you that juggling three eggs
and spinning around was going to help you, you'd find a way to do it! So,
my focus and ability to meditate got really strong! I'm not sure how helpful
I've been because I'm not a doctor, but this has been a very nice experience and
if it was helpful to anyone in any way, I'm glad and very honored.